Why?
by Erimenthe
Summary: Why are people starting to ask why? Look to the statues. They have the answers.


I own/make nothing from Harry Potter but my imagination. They all belong to J.K. Rowling, though I'm happy to play in her castle from time to time.

The statues began popping up randomly in the middle of the night. People didn't notice them at first, just a gradual feeling of sadness that would creep into their minds for a few seconds as they walked past certain areas. When they did start noticing them they had no idea that the little bronze boy with his arms around his legs and head on his knees,  
sitting alone on a small bench was the cause of their bouts of melancholy. As more and more people saw these statues, they started to ask why.

Why is there a statue of a sad boy sitting on a bench here?

Why are there so many of these statues scattered around?

Why hasn't anyone identified who is putting these statues up?

People began to start talking to each other about these statues. Soon more questions were being asked because they were starting to realize that they were all having the same reactions to them.

Why are we feeling so sad every time we go near them?

Why are we having such bad dreams all the time?

Why hasn't anyone figured out who the little boy the statues were made of?

They started looking a bit closer at the statues, from afar of course. They didn't want to get closer and feel depressed again if they could avoid it. The clothes of the boy were too big and a bit tattered. The shoes had holes and they could tell by the size of the boys ankles that they didn't fit right. The hair was haphazard as if it had never been brushed. The back looked hunched as if waiting for a blow from some unseen hand.

If any had gotten up the courage to brave the gloom and gotten closer they might have noticed the marks on the back of the little boy through the tatters in the shirt, or the darker color of patches on the "skin" through holes in the trousers that could only be bruises. They would see that the boy had been abused and would understand a bit better what they were feeling, what they were seeing in their dreams.

Some of them would dream of being thrown into a cupboard hard enough to feel the headache when they woke up. Others had sore limbs or fingers from being hit in their dreams or when a bone was broken. The list went on as they talked to each other. Feeling sick after being bitten by a snake, being chased by someone that wanted to kill them (they couldn't see who but just knew they would die if caught), being overwhelmed by unseen faces of larger people talking over each other but all telling them what they should be doing though they couldn't make out what was being said.

Then there were the ones that would wake up feeling abandoned by those they thought they could trust, or being called liars, traitors, evil, even though they knew somehow they'd done nothing wrong. The feeling upon waking of having the entire weight of the world on their shoulders and not knowing what to do, how to fix things or who to turn to.

There were the dreams of deep cuts that woke them screaming, the muscle spasms and feeling like thousands of needles over every inch of their bodies that would make them break out in a cold sweat while twitching and tossing in bed and not being able to wake themselves. The horror of seeing people they knew and cared about being killed in monstrous ways just to get to them, and not being able to stop it. Fighting for their lives and the lives of their friends and family,  
over and over.

They saw the few friends they had be ridiculed and turned away when looking for help. They saw parents of their friends react by drawing them away from the danger, and themselves, as well as yelling at them for getting their children in trouble or being hurt.

They woke with feelings of being told they were useless, nothing, unloveable and not worth keeping around. They were very thirsty, very hungry, tired, and knew it would be like that for days.

Of course every one of these people that "dreamed" saw themselves as this little boy that was in the statue.

Why are we being tormented like this?

Why would someone make us see things like this?

Why? Why? Why?

What they didn't know is that not everyone was affected. There were eyes watching them. Those that had believed and tried to help the little boy as he grew up. Those that tried to get others to listen and help but were turned away.  
The little children that knew nothing and had no power to help or change things, as of yet, were left alone, but the teens and young adults or their parents...if they had not tried in the least, or had been adding to the abuse of the little boy, felt it.

Word went out to the papers trying to find out anything about the statues. People came from other places to see them and hear the stories of what was going on to try to help figure out how to stop what was happening and yet every time they went to sleep another part of the story flew through their dreams, their nightmares. Soon enough they all started to understand, they started to tear up every time they saw the little boy on the bench or cry when they talked about the latest dream/nightmare they had...and then it happened.

A full size statue of a young man. In the middle of the busiest part of their world. Finger pointing out to the crowd.

When the message started everyone could hear it. From the statue of the man and all the statues of the little boy.  
There was silence as the people looked at the statues and finally made out the scar on the forehead of the man/boy.

"What you have felt, what you have dreamed of, what you have talked about for the last month, has been my life. From the very first, to the last time any of you saw me. How I felt and reacted to every thing said to and about me as well as what was done to me. You who were the leaders, the adults, the ones that were supposed to protect the children in this community, have failed. Not just me, but many before me. You listened to the adults around you and followed their lead rather than believing what you actually saw even when you knew they lied. You hid your heads in the sand and let "others" do the work, take the blame and ridicule as well as die horribly rather than stand together and do something.

Those "others", this time, were children. They got hurt. They were tortured and died. They were not trained, they were not as strong as you, and yet they did what you refused to..even at such a cost.

You have probably been asking why. Why you? Why now? Why this?

Because it must NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN!

Do not let those in power get so much that they can do what ever they want. They are supposed to be doing what is best for the entire community, not their friends and their pocketbooks!

Never let those in power circumvent the lawful way of doing things. Do not assume that they have done what they should,  
seek out the records of what they've done.

Question what is written in the papers if you were not there, but especially if it is not what you've actually seen with your own eyes! They write to sell papers, not necessarily the truth, or at least the whole truth.

STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT!

Not what is easy, not what is tradition, not what is modern or the latest fad project, but what is right.

There are good reasons for some traditions, but not all traditions. All children are precious. Not just the males, not just the pure or powerful. Not just those with long family histories. Not just human. All children.

If you must ask a why, then ask why the "dark" are considered that. Because they learn things you don't like or because they like to use things that can hurt, torture or kill etc. Decide accordingly. You can't counter those things you don't know or understand. Punish those that do, not those that learn.

If you must ask a why, ask why dark creatures are considered dark. Are they really evil or only do things because they have no other way be it because laws stop them from having any kind of resourse to live or because they are threatened,  
beaten or enslaved to do what they do? Try asking some of them. Deal with those that do harm. Leave the rest alone or truly help them to live, not try to survive. Let them decide.

If you must ask a why, ask why sentient, intelligent creatures are treated like they are. Come up with treaties that lay out reasonable rules and fines/punishments for breaking the rules. If they harm none, leave them alone and treat them like the intelligent, sentient beings they are instead of enslaving them or regulating them to the point they can barely survive.

If you must ask a why, ask why some must hurt or look down on those they consider "lesser" than themselves. Are they so afraid that they are not worthy that they make themselves feel better by treating others so bad? Are they so weak that they must make sure that others are afraid of them? Loyalty, friendship and love will last longer because some will get to the point that they have nothing left to fear.

These statues of the little boy will remain. They will not be able to be gotten rid of. They will not broadcast the messages again but any who pass them will not be able to forget what they stand for. The orphans, the abused, the forgotten that all need to be taken care of, loved and protected. The children. Teach them, love them, care for them and show them the truth so they do not become like the evil that has been dealt with.

Do not let the orphan become the evil that must be hunted. Do not let the abused one take on the weight of the world. Do not let the forgotten ones be the next generation to die just so you can hide because the next "one" may end up being your own child.

This is my Legacy. The one that you forgot, abused and abandoned. Now you know WHY."


End file.
